Table 1

Provisional diagnosis and triage text-based syndromes used for statistical reporting and for training the automatic triage text classification system, with correlation between daily counts from the two categorisation methods and the sensitivity of the automatic text classifier in assigning a category that matched the provisional diagnosis category.*

Syndrome
ICD-9-CM codes used for the diagnosis-based syndromes and text classifier training
Correlation between daily counts of text and diagnosis-based categories
Sensitivity of the text- based category for matching the provisional diagnosis category

Selected symptoms
Abdominal pain
789.0
0.63
0.94
Chest pain
786.5
0.72
0.92
Convulsions (not clearly epilepsy)
779.0, 780.3
not classified
not classified
Fever (cause unspecified)
780.6
0.54
0.62
Collapse/syncope/coma /delirium/ dizziness
078.81, 780.0, 780.2, 780.4, 992.1
0.64
0.77
Neuromuscular/vision problems
360.8, 368–369, 781–781.99, 782.0
0.57
0.68
Gastrointestinal syndromes
Selected gastrointestinal
001–009, 078.82, 536.2, 558, 564.5, 578.0, 787.0, 787.91
not classified
not classified
Diarrhoea and intestinal infections
001–009, 558, 564.5, 787.91
0.52
0.74
Vomiting
078.82, 536.2, 578.0, 787.0
0.48
0.77
Cardiovascular syndromes
All cardiovascular
390–459, V12.5
not classified
not classified
Cardiac arrest
427.5
not classified
not classified
Cardiac dysrhythmias
427 (excluding 427.5)
not classified
not classified
Respiratory syndromes
All respiratory
033, 460–519, 768–770
0.77
0.74
Asthma
493
0.75
0.81
Influenza
487
0.09
0.22
Pneumonia
480–486
0.38
0.83
Pertussis
033
0.23
0.31
Other/unspecified respiratory infections
460–466 (excluding 466.1), 519.8
0.75
0.79
Respiratory failure/distress
518.5, 518.81–518.82, 519.9, 769
-0.01
0.25
Injury syndromes
All injury and poisoning
800–964.9, 965.09–968.4, 968.6–969.5, 969.8–979, 981–989.4, 989.6–989.9, 990–999 (excluding 992.1)
0.91
0.94
Head injury
800–804, 850–854
0.58
0.59
Burns
940–949
0.78
0.81
Bite or sting (insect/spider/snake)
(910–919).4, (910–919).5, 989.5, E906.2
0.45
0.74
Open wounds
870–897
0.89
0.75
Poisoning (not illicit drug or alcohol)
960–964.9, 965.09–968.4, 968.6–969.5, 969.8–979, 981–989.4, 989.6–989.9
not classified
not classified
Other syndromes
Illicit drug-related (including amphetamines)
292, 304, 305.2–305.9, 965.00–965.02, 968.5, 969.6, 969.7
0.44
0.62
Alcohol-related provisional diagnosis
291, 303, 305.0, 790.3, 980, V70.4
0.78
0.87
Meningococcal infection
036, 320.5
not classified
not classified
Other or unspecified meningitis
047, 320–320.4, 320.6–322
not classified
not classified
Skin problems
035, 050–057, 373, 680–709, 782, 782.1–782.9
0.71
0.85

*Based on all available ED data collected between 1st September 2003 and 29th February 2005. 'Not classified' means that the syndrome categories were not included in the initial implementation of the automated syndrome classification procedure.

Muscatello et al. BMC Public Health 2005 5:141   doi:10.1186/1471-2458-5-141